STn-KLH + cyclophosphamide

STn-KLH + cyclophosphamide is a combination therapy consisting of a cancer vaccine (STn-KLH, also known as THERATOPE) and the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide. The STn-KLH component is a cancer vaccine that incorporates a synthetic sialyl-Tn (STn) antigen conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). STn is a carbohydrate associated with the MUC1 mucin on various human cancer cells and is linked to more aggressive disease. Cyclophosphamide is an alkylating agent used as a low-dose immunomodulatory pretreatment to enhance the immune response to the vaccine. Studies have shown that intravenous cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m² on day -3) before STn-KLH vaccination enhances anti-STn and anti-OSM antibody titers and significantly improves survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer compared to oral cyclophosphamide or no cyclophosphamide pretreatment.

Brand names

THERATOPE + cyclophosphamide